


Falling In Love In A Coffee Shop

by joshuawashington



Category: Until Dawn (Video Game)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-12-26
Updated: 2018-12-26
Packaged: 2019-09-27 14:47:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,422
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17163956
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/joshuawashington/pseuds/joshuawashington
Summary: “There is no way in hell- in hell- That Jess is related to Avril Lavigne. Do you understand how stupid you sound?”“But they’re both blond!” Josh yelled. His fist struck the table for emphasis as he pointed at her with his other hand, maniacal grin spreading across his face as she became more and more angry. “Blond, Emily! How do you explain that?”In which Chris and Ashley fall in love during the winter, amidst their makeshift family's shenanigans.





	Falling In Love In A Coffee Shop

**Author's Note:**

> welcome to your secret santa fic! it isn't completely finished yet, but i promise i'll keep updating and finish over the next few weeks! i hope you enjoy it!! :3

**One year ago.**

 

The bumble of the mall cafeteria was background noise to the group of teens centered around one table. Blind to the hubbub around them, all four leaned in towards each other, speaking over one another in a rush to make their own point heard.

“Dude, I don’t think-” Chris started, amused and mostly uninvested in the argument occurring before him.

“No, no,” Matt cut him off, equally as entertained. “I wanna hear what Josh has to say.”

The man in question rose partially out of his seat, gesturing wildly with his hands. “I’m _just_ saying, there’s no proof _against_ it. If you can’t prove me wrong, then you can’t prove yourself right-” He was interrupted by the shorter, dark-haired girl across from him. 

“Are you _fucking_ kidding me, Joshua?” 

Chris and Matt winced in unison. Full name. That’s never good. Chris glanced at his companion, raising an eyebrow. _Do we make a break for it?_ Across from him, Matt shook his head softly, scrunching up his mouth. _Not yet._ The ease of their communication was the gift of endless Mario Party sleepovers. Finished, they both returned their gaze to Emily, right high heel tapping agitatedly at the marble flooring beneath her. 

“There is no way in hell- in _hell_ \- That Jess is related to Avril Lavigne. Do you understand how stupid you sound?”

“But they’re both _blond_!” Josh yelled. His fist struck the table for emphasis as he pointed at her with his other hand, maniacal grin spreading across his face as she became more and more angry. “ _Blond_ , Emily! How do you explain _that_?”

“Explain what?” Questioned a new voice from behind Matt. Twisting around, he flashed a smile. 

“Hey, Sam. Josh is saying Jess has to be part of Avril Lavigne’s family cause they’re both blond. What’ve you been up to?” 

Sam snorted, eyeing the two arguing friends and choosing to slide in next to Chris on the increasingly cramped booth seats. “Not much. I see you’re all having a good time.” She placed her almost-empty Starbucks cup on the table. “Hey, Josh,” She interrupted, tapping him lightly on the shoulder. “If all blond people are related to Avril Lavigne, what about Chris and I?” 

Josh and Emily stared at her for a moment before Josh lit up, swinging back around to face his opponent.

“Emily, they’re all-”

“No!” The girl growled, pushing her manicured nail into Josh’s face. “You have got to be the stupidest man I have _ever_ met!” She shook her head, swinging her hair out of her face before pausing to lay an affectionate hand on Matt’s shoulder. “No offense, Matthew.”

Matt looked up from his phone. “Wha- Huh? Why- Wait. Hold on a-” 

Beside him, Chris snorted, watching the topic of the argument evolve from pop stars to Matt’s honor. Laughter bubbled up out of Sam’s mouth too, as she scooted closer to her friend. With their friend’s distracted, a grin grew on her face and she took the opportunity to elbow him in the side. “So… Is Ashley coming to hang out with us too? Or am I the only lady friend you’ve decided to grace with an invitation to the annual Emily Shopping Spree?”

Chris jerked, looking around as if Ashley would somehow pop out of the plastic bushes placed around the food court and overhear her. “Sam!” He hissed before immediately coughing and leaning against the table in what was clearly supposed to be a casual position. “Uh… I invited her, but she didn’t have time. Busy with her book club.” 

Sam eyed him with a knowing look, but before she could say anything, the table shook, surprising both of them. Sam scrambled to catch her Starbucks- large sharpie letters spelling out “SOY, NO WHIP” scrawled across the side- before it spilled. 

“Jeez, you guys,” She groaned. The scene before her was no less than a renaissance painting. Emily with her hands curled in Josh’s shirt sleeves, Matt leaning across the table to grab her by the waist, and Josh, ever-present smirk still centered on his face, holding the $20 he had brought out to convince Emily to take his side- No doubt for the sole purpose of infuriating her more. 

“I just got here and we are going to be _kicked out_ ,” She muttered. With a glance around the mall, it was clear they were attracting attention. It wouldn’t be long until the mall cops showed up. No amount of Josh’s money would stop the rest of them from being banned. She hooked her arm through Chris’, standing up abruptly. “Wow, Chris,” She said loudly. “What a coincidence that we both have to go to the bathroom at the same time.” Chris caught on immediately, tipping an imaginary hat at her.

“Indeed, my good lady,” He agreed. After one last look at the table, the blond duo began speed-walking away. As soon as they were around a corner, they began a mad dash for the doors that marked the exit to the shopping center. Chris slid to a stop before the glass, overbalancing and tipping forward. His hands shot out to grab the metal handle, spinning around dramatically in a foolish attempt to play off his near-accident. 

Sam, having slowed down as she approached the exit, quirked an eyebrow at his act. “Careful. You don’t wanna set off the alarm. Again.” Without waiting for a response, she ducked under his arm and pushed the door open. “Shall we?” 

The blast of chilly air slammed into Chris like a truck. “Oh, Jesus, that’s cold. It was _not_ this bad on the way here, swear to God.” He rubbed his shoulders, shaking for emphasis. Sam laughed kindly. 

“C’mon, big guy. You’re wearing a jacket _and_ a hoodie.” She took hesitated before conceding. “It is pretty frosty. Let’s find somewhere to wait for the other guys. Wanna loop around to the Starbucks? I was just there, it’s not so bad.”

Chris let his head drop backwards. “Aw, Sam. What about your car? You can turn the heater on.”

Sam patted his shoulder in sympathy. “Took the bus over. Besides, public transportation is-”

He yelped, raising a hand to forestall the tangent he could tell she was about to go on. “Yes, yes, public transportation good. Starbucks also good. Now?” At her sigh, he broke into a brisk walk. “Cool, cool.”

Despite the length of his legs, it took Sam zero effort to keep pace. Neither of them spoke until they reached the shop on the other side of the parking lot, outside of the mall. Chris huffed his breaths out, watching the cloud from his lips float away into the sky. Ashley loved cold weather, but not the actual cold. If she was here, he could’ve offered her his coat. She’d probably look good in it. Or he could have held her hands to warm them. And she would laugh nervously, but let him do it anyways. Platonically, he reminded himself. She would’ve let him hold her hands platonically. Because she saw them as friends. 

Sam held the door open for him and he nodded his thanks as he dodged the tacky Christmas decorations adorning the ceiling just inside.

“I already ordered, so I’ve had my fix. You want anything? I can buy!” Sam offered. “It’s the giving season, and all that.” 

Chris gave the menu a once-over before shrugging sheepishly. “Ah, yeah, that would be nice, actually. You know my usual.”

“A cup of cream and sugar with a splash of coffee?” She danced away around the side of the table they had settled at, avoiding the hand he had swung out to jab at her shoulder in response. 

“Yeah, yeah, laugh it up.” He relaxed back into his chair as Sam headed off to the counter, blond ponytail swinging behind her. Her laughter faded as she got farther away, but a smile still made its way onto Chris's face at the sound. He busied himself with his phone until the jingle of the doorbell pulled him away from the screen. A beanie-topped mess of red hair bobbed in through the entrance. 

Ashley.

Now, Chris was by no means a pussy, despite what Josh said and Sam implied, but he'd be a liar if he said he didn't shrink down in his seat in an attempt to avoid her seeing him. He hunched his shoulders as he tried to stare at her and pretend she wasn't there at the same time. It was, in fact, going swimmingly. Ignoring the convoluted form of logic his brain was trying to employ, he was doing amazing at watching Ashley not be in the Starbucks.

At least, he was until Sam slammed his coffee down next to him, letting out a giggle at the noise he made. All the other patrons turned to look- including Ashley. Chris's cheeks flushed when they made eye contact, and he gave an awkward wave and half smile. 

Next to him, Sam cleared her throat. 

“Christopher. I'm gonna go to the bathroom.” She winked.

Chris spluttered. “Wh- _Sam_ \- This Starbucks doesn't have a bathroom-” He glanced at Ashley out of the corner of his eye. She was weaving her way through the tables towards them at an alarming pace. “Don't-”

“Chris!” Ashley had arrived, waving her hand softly. She lowered it almost immediately after she had raised it, looking down at the table. “What are you doing here?”

“Hey, Ash.” Sam slid in. “I was just telling Chris how I'm gonna duck out and use the restroom. If you all don't mind.”

Chris turned his head to lower a death glare onto her. Unaffected, she continued to grin at Ashley. 

“Oh, uh…” Ashley glanced at Chris. “I mean, yeah, okay!” She giggled nervously. “Hurry back?” 

“Sure thing.” Sam smirked, winking at Chris and patting a hand on Ashley's shoulder. “See you crazy cats soon.” 

Chris and Ashley both watched her walk away in silence. He finally turned to face her when the door slammed shut behind Sam, aided by the wind. 

“So… You liking the weather?” Chris cringed inwardly at his question. _Nice going, Chris,_ the tiny Josh in his head whispered. _You wanna talk about the news next?_

Ashley, however, didn't seem to mind. “Oh! Yeah, actually! It's so nice out. I just hope it snows soon, you know? Like real snow, not this wet mush. It isn't really Christmas without snow, and since we didn't get any last year…”

Chris rested his head on his palm, leaning on his elbow. He didn't mind so much when she rambled, compared to other people. Maybe this- being alone with her- wouldn't be as nerve-wracking as he had expected. It was going pretty well, all things considered. Ashley continued talking- about the weather, the snow, the Christmas lights in the park downtown, how her favorite dog Instagram account had elf costumes for their weiner dogs. Her hand rested on the table across from him, and suddenly his own hand, still holding his coffee, felt very cold. It would be so easy to just reach out, and-

“ _Chris_!” Both he and Ashley jolted in their seats at Josh's call, darting away from each other. The distance between had decreased as they had talked, and now it was back, more noticeable than ever. 

Pouring through the doors were Josh, Emily, and Matt, followed by a sheepish looking Sam. Selfishly, Chris wished they had taken just a little longer. Tracking slush across the floor, Josh pushed through the crowd, beelining towards them. 

“We got kicked out,” He declared proudly, flopping into a seat. “Apparently we were being ‘ _public disturbances_ ’.” 

Emily, glowering, opened her mouth to reply. “Well, if you weren't fucking _stupid_ -”

“And,” Matt said loudly, taking off his scarf. “We've decided to avoid that mall for the next few days.”

Ashley frowned. “All of us? I still need to go shopping for some of you still-”

Sam leaned forward. “Chris and I weren't involved. Maybe you and he can go shopping _together_?” She elbowed Josh, who smacked her arm away playfully before hesitantly running his hand up to the back of her neck lightly. And, Chris noted, leaving it there.

Chris glanced over to Matt who made a ‘don't mention it’ sort of gesture. Well. If nobody else was acknowledging the obvious sexual tension there, then clearly it was Chris's job to do it himself. 

“Who are you shopping with, Sam? Josh?” Chris leaned forward. “Why don't you two go _together_ , huh?” He added air quotes around 'together', just to make sure his point got across.

Emily stifled a laugh behind the palm of her hand while Josh dropped his hand off Sam's neck.

“No!” Sam said quickly, leaning away. “I mean, no offense, Josh. Beth and Hannah and I are already going together soon. And if you went with me you would see your present.” 

Josh stared at her for a moment, unreadable emotion in his eye, before a light dusting of color overtook his cheeks and he turned away. “That's fine. I'm doing most of my shopping online, so…”

“Anyways,” Emily interjected. “Josh is a dumbass and now we can't go in the mall anymore. So you two do whatever shopping you want. I'm going to go with Mike.”

Josh squawked. “I'm not a-”

“With Mike?” Matt questioned, cutting him off. “Jess and I are going together. We could all go, if you guys are cool with it.”

Chris tuned out the rest of their conversation, changing his focus to Ashley. The soft sunlight filtering through the winter clouds and the Starbucks glass pane windows made her look good. Her cheekbones were cast in a gentle white glow, and her hair was shining. He wasn't one for poetry or romance, but he really thought she was beautiful. She truly was in her element. In her season, her weather. She belonged here. Not even the biting cold was that bad for him when Ash was there. He chanced a glance around the rest of the table, making sure nobody had noticed his staring. 

All clear.

God, she was gorgeous. And Chris knew Josh wanted him to just tell her that, but it was so hard to articulate how he felt. It was so much easier to just watch her and to be with her. As friends. 

So he would enjoy her company. And since they were shopping together, apparently, (thank you, Sam), maybe he could work his way up to it. To saying something. Maybe. 

Tomorrow. Christmas shopping. Ashley.

He'd see.


End file.
